moffatt



(N0 M del-1 MOFPATT- Electric Lamp.

No. 230,801.v Patented Aug, 3,1880.

N. PErERS, FHO'lO-UTHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON, u C.

lamp. Fig. 2 is an elevation, showing a view UNITED STATES PATENT QFEIQE.

RICHARD MOFFATT, OF BROOKLYN, ASSIGNOB TO THE FULLER ELEC- TRICAL COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRIC LAMP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 230,801, dated August 3, 1880,

Application filed April 26, 1880.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD R. MOFFATT, of the city of Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Electric Lamps or Regulators; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description of the same, reference being made to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the of the parts A, B, and L, shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is across-section taken at the line 00 a, Fig. 1.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in the several figures.

This lamp belongs to that class which produces the voltaic arc. The power operating the carbon-holders is derived from gravity.

Heretofore lamps embodying this principle required considerable force to overcome inertia and friction of the moving parts (on account of their weight and number of parts) in producing the arc and in keeping it in a constant position during the combustion of the carbons. It is also found that in consequence of the intermittent feeding or moving the carbon electrodes toward each other during combustion the light is very unsteady. This causes the sudden change of resistance in the are which produces a vibratory motion, and thus a flickering, unsteady light.

In the construction of my lamp the weight of the upper carboirholder and its carbon is sufficient to slightly overbalance the weight of the lower carbon-holder and carbon, and to give necessary power to operate the moving parts. By this arrangement the power required for operating the apparatus in producing the arc and for maintaining it in position is slight.

The novel device I employ for parting the electrodes and for maintaining them in aconstant position during their consumption eliminates sudden changes of resistance in the are.

Letter Z in the drawings denotes the hanging portion of the frame of the lamp, which is hollow. On the upper part of this frame is an axial magnet, I, the iron core of which is hollow, and is provided with a longitudinal through the center of the base U.

(No model.)

opening shaped like a slot on one side. this slot a pulley-wheel, M, operates.

One end of the wire that forms the axial magnet terminates in a binding-post, G. The other end has a metallic connection with the frame N. The upper carbon-holder, O, is arranged to move freely within the hollow core of the axial magnet. This holder is also provided with a longitudinal slot in its side, which extends from a point near the lower end to a point near the upper end. The pulley-wheel M also operates within this slot, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

F is a binding-post having contact with the upper plate of the frame of the axial magnet. Suitable metallic and electric contact is made with the upper carbon-holder by means of springs i i, as shown, or by friction wheels.

Beneath the axial magnet are placed small wheels L I1, and B B are arranged as shown in Figs. 2 and .5. These wheels are intended to operate in conjunction with the lugs K K, which are rigidly fixed to the sides of the core A, as shown.

The pulley-wheel M is mounted upon the same shaft with the wheels LL in such a way that it will rotate with them, and the shaft on which the wheels B B are mounted is arranged so as to have aslightlateral movement in its beatings, but controlled by the spring b pressing on the shaft or other equivalent. device.

0 represents the base of the lamp, the upper part of which is arranged to support a glass globe when desired. The lower carbonholder, It, is made to slide in an opening A pulleywheel, I, is fixed at the lower end of the lower carbon-holder. N is a cord, one end of which is secured to the base at p. This cord extends from the pointp downward to and around the groove of the wheel I, then upward on the opposite side, thence through the hollow frame of the lamp, guided by the grooved pulleys a a a a, to the pulley-wheel M, around which it 5 The lamp may be suspended, by means of the screw H, in obvious manner.

The operation of this lamp is as follows: As the upper carbon-holder and carbon are heavier than is requisite to balance the lower carbon- ;holder and its carbon enough to operate the moving parts of the lamp, it follows that the lower end of the upper carbon will rest upon the upper end of the lower carbon.

hen the circuit-wires from the battery or electric machine are secured to the bindingposts G and F, so that the electric current will enter through thelatter post, the magnet-- core is drawn upward by magnetic force, the lugs K K enter between the wheels B B and L L, and cause them to rotate in the direction indicated by the arrow m. This motion raises the upper carbon by moving the cord with the wheel, which permits the lower carbon-holder to fall or move in adownward direction. This operation separates the carbon points and thus produces the voltaic are.

As the carbons are consumed the distance between their points increases. So the resistance increases until the magnetic force of the axial magnet is insuflicient to hold the magnetcore, and it moves in a downward direction, freeingthe wheelsL M, thus allowing the upper carbon to approach the lower and the lower carbon to approach the upper. So the resistance of the voltaic arc decreases and the attractive power of the axial magnet on its core increases, the core rises, and the lugs K K again press upon the wheels 15 L and B L with sufficient force to prevent movement of the parts. So these operations continue to com pensate for changes in the resistance of the voltaic arc, and consequently give a steady and even light.

If the circuit be broken the magnet-core falls with the lugs K K, allowing the carbon points to move and meet each other. YVhcn the circuit is again closed the above action described takes place, and the are again appears, as will readily be understood.

On account of the manner of extending the cord around the pulley P of the lower carbonholder and securing the end thereof, as shown at p, to the base of the lamp, the lower car bon-holder moves just one-half the distance the upper carbon-holder moves; and as the upper carbon, D, is made the positive electrode and the lower one, E, the negative electrode, the are always remains at approximately afixed point, as it were at V, owing to the wellknown difference in the rate of combustion of the two electrodes.

As the parts of the lamp below the line y y must be electrically separate from the frame of the axial magnet, the obviously proper iir sulations are made, though not necessarily shown in the drawings.

Having thus fully described the construction and operation of my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In an electriclamp or regulator, a hollow axial magnet-core havin a longitudidal slot, substantially as and forthe purposes described.

2. In an electric lamp or regulator, an axial magnet-core made to actuate a pulley-carrying a cord, one end of the cord being fastened in the slot or groove of a longitudinally slotted or grooved carbon-carrier, thus moving the carbon-carrier, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In an electric lamp or regulator, a tube or rod acting as a carbon carrier or holder,

-havin g alongitudinal slot or groove, substanments of the carbon-carrier, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

6. In an electric lamp or regulator, a longitudinally slotted or grooved carbon holder or carrier supported and operated within an axial magnet-core by a cord, substantially as herein described.

7. In an electric lamp or regulator, the carbon holder or carrier 0, provided with a longitudinal slot or groove, in combination with the cord N and a pulley, M, both of which operate in and through said slot or groove, sub stantially as and for the purpose specified.

8. In an electric lamp or regulator, the lugs K K, connected with an axial magnet cote, when used to effect the separation of carbons, to control the feed of carbons, or for both purposes, substantially as described.

9. The combination consisting of the lugs K K, the wheels L L and B B, and pulley M, arranged substantially as described and illustratcd.

1.0. In an electric lamp or regulator, the combination of the slotted axial magnet-core A, the slotted carbon carrier 0, the pulleywheel M, and the cord N, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

11. In an electric lamp or regulator, the combination consisting of the axial magnetcore A, the carbon-carrier O, the cord N, the carbon-carrier It, and the pulley P, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

It. R. MOFFATT.

\Vitnesses;

N. S. KEITH, HERMAN L. R. EMMET. 

